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On September 18th Lake Ontario Waterkeeper
released At the Barricades: Volume 1,
the first of three compilations of sensational music from an all-star
roster of artists assembled by celebrated Canadian musician and producer
Chris Brown for Lake Ontario Waterkeeper.
At the
Barricades: Volume 1 features new tracks from: Broken Social Scene,
Sarah Harmer, Bill Frisell, Boi Brasileiro &
Scotty Hard, Chris Brown, Kate Fenner, Stars, Dave Bidini, and
Tony Scherr. Also found on the compilation are songs from Bruce Cockburn,
Pete Seeger, Mads Mouritz, Gordon Downie &
Adam Egoyan, and Sex Mob. The
music is impassioned and reflective, emotive and provoking: a powerful
companion to the Waterkeeper movement.
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Previously, on
Chris & Kate.
Chris Brown and Kate
Fenner have been making music together since they were teenagers in
Toronto, when they formed the
Bourbon Tabernacle Choir.
Their five recordings, and constant touring in support of them, earned the
band cult status in Canada and parts of the US that reverberates even now,
more than ten years after they disbanded. BTC alumni now play with the
likes of
Broken Social Scene
and
Ron Sexsmith
among others.
George Clinton once
referred to The Bourbons as “the quintessential Toronto sound…”.
After relocating to
NYC, Brown and Fenner continued to tour and record as a duo, releasing
Other People’s Heavens (1997),
Geronimo (1998),
O Witness (2000), Great Lakes Bootleg (2000),
Resist War (2001),
Burden of Belief (2002), Horses and Burning Cars
(2002) and
Go On (2004). In 2005, they were commissioned to write
Chansons du Salamandre, a Symphonic song cycle to accompany the
Merriweather-Post architectural installation in New York City.
Brown and Fenner’s
music has been used by the Toronto Dance
Theatre as well as
Randy James Dance Company
in NYC, with whom Kate performed live at their 10th anniversary show.
Other works include
music for the movie adaptation of Paul Quarrington’s
Whale Music and Kate’s contributions to The Shape, The
Scent, The Feel of Things,
Joan Jonas’ recent
performance residency at the DEA in Beacon, NY.
Brown and Fenner’s
internet only release
Resist War has become a staple of the anti-war movement, and
was added to the International Archive of Protest Songs (Glasgow,
Scotland).
In 2006 the family
of legendary songwriter
Steve Goodman, whose music has been made famous by Willie Nelson
and Johnny Cash, among others, asked Chris to produce a tribute
album to the American icon. The result was
My Old Man (O Boy, Red Pajamas), featuring contributions by Brown,
Fenner and their contemporaries including Steve’s daughter,
Rosie Goodman.
Both Chris and Kate
just put the finishing touches on new solo records. What will the the
sophomore efforts respectively, both scheduled for a September release.
What people are saying about Chris
& Kate.
Kate Fenner ROCKS. She is one of my favorite
singers to go see in New York City. - Norah Jones
Fenner’s voice is a National Treasure. - CBC
Radio Canada
Brown is not only my favorite keyboardist I
know, he is my favorite keyboardist of all time. - Kevin Drew
(Broken Social Scene)
Chris Brown is the Van Dyke Parks of folk songs:
intense poetry/wicked arrangements. - Andrew Whiteman (Apostle of
Hustle)
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